Werner of Magdeburg
Werner of Steusslingen (died 7 August 1078) was the
Rise
Werner belonged to the Steusslingen family, part of the lesser nobility of the
Prior to his appointment as archbishop, Werner was the provost of Maria ad Gradus, which Anno had founded in Cologne. When the see of Magdeburg became vacant, Anno had Henry overturn the cathedral chapter's election and appoint Werner. Adam of Bremen in his Gesta Hammaburgensis ecclesiae pontificum cites the case of Werner as exemplary of Anno's baleful nepotism. The anonymous author of the Gesta archiepiscoporum Magdeburgensium considered Werner to lack qualification for high office, being "a mild man and not sharp-witted".[3]
Werner was an ally of Henry IV until 1072–1073. He frequently attended Henry's court and Henry twice visited Magdeburg during this period. Werner's last appearance at court was in March 1072 at
Revolts
A letter addressed by Werner to Archbishop
In the spring of 1075, according to Bruno, Henry IV was willing to reconcile with Werner and the other Saxon rebels on the condition that they hand over Burchard of Halberstadt and the other major conspirators. Since he would not guarantee a trial before their peers, his offer was rebuffed.
In the summer of 1076, Henry released Werner as a show of goodwill, perhaps at the insistence of Pope Gregory VII. This move failed to calm the Saxons or to convert Werner, who immediately joined a new revolt.[2][9] In March 1077, he was one of the electors of Rudolf of Rheinfelden as anti-king.[10][11] He was one of those clergymen who fled at the start of the battle of Mellrichstadt on 7 August 1078, causing Rudolf's army to panic. In the defeat, Werner was killed.[12] He was buried in the Abbey of Our Lady in Magdeburg, to which he had shown favour.[2]
Assessments of Werner's pontificate have generally been negative. The author of the Gesta archiepiscoporum Magdeburgensium referred to "the harm inflicted on [the] church" by Werner.[3] He has been compared unfavourably to Burchard, who had skills commensurate with his office.[13] Werner is described as "a shadowy figure" compared to his "astute and energetic" nephew, although he had brought some benefit to his church from royal generosity during the first decade of his episcopate.[14] Overall, his pontificate was "not a blessing" for the church.[2]
Notes
- ^ a b c d Robinson 2004, pp. 88–89.
- ^ a b c d e Hertel 1897.
- ^ a b Robinson 2004, p. 47.
- ^ Robinson 2004, p. 74.
- ^ Blumenthal 1988, p. 111.
- ^ Robinson 2004, p. 84.
- ^ a b Robinson 2004, pp. 99–100.
- ^ Robinson 2004, pp. 100–102.
- ^ Robinson 2004, p. 152.
- ^ Robinson 2004, p. 367.
- ^ Blumenthal 1988, p. 124.
- ^ Robinson 2004, pp. 181–182.
- ^ Blumenthal 1988, p. 107.
- ^ Robinson 2004, p. 88.
Bibliography
- Blumenthal, Uta-Renate (1988). The Investiture Controversy: Church and Monarchy from the Ninth to the Twelfth Century. University of Pennsylvania Press.
- Hertel, Gustav (1897), "Werner (Wezilo)", Allgemeine Deutsche Biographie (in German), vol. 42, Leipzig: Duncker & Humblot, p. 28.
- Robinson, Ian S. (2004) [1999]. Henry IV of Germany, 1056–1106. Cambridge University Press.